Dixieland Jazz Party


Alright, i'll bite. What's ridiculously bebowlered British clarinetist Sir Mr. Acker Bilk and his newfangled Leon Young String Chorale (legitimately called "experimental" at the time) have to say about New Orleans Jass? Not the card game, that's how everybody spelled jazz before 1917.

This is his first international hit record, Stranger On The Shore. Interesting note, he lived long enough to get tired and never want to play it again. If you thought i was wordy and obtuse, check this out:

Customarily, Mr. B heads a small Ensemble devoted to the Purveyance of that extempore polyphony or "Jass" associated with the Inhabitants of the City of New Orleans. There are nevertheless (as the Sage has aptly remarked), more ways of destroying a Feline than suffocating the Beast with Cream.

Kudos on the German style capitalization of nouns, raspberries to this not being Dixieland in any Way, Shape, or Form. Clearly there's a second album in our near future, wink. This isn't bad by any means, but his excessive vibrato is, shall we say, a little machine gun. If you love clarinet, you'll probably enjoy it more than me. Still interesting, but i like accordion better. It's a nice experiment but i want horns and upright bass.

Now lets saunter over to something a little more authentic. I've been to New Orleans a time or 6 (including our honeymoon). Drum solo, yes please. See, now that's a Nawlins clarinet solo (or at least the New Jersey version of one). Then trumpet and trombone. Acoustic guitar!? Bucky Pizzarella? Is that a typo, or an intentional spelling change? Don't care, this is great. This is worthy of putting up on youtube, so i did. You'll like it, i promise.

https://youtu.be/AX3C3fNDH8s

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